Head of Category
An excellent opportunity for a senior category management leader with direct procurement, sourcing, supplier management and contract experience within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
If youve also worked in the following roles, wed also like to hear from you: Senior Category Manager, Procurement Category Manager, Head of Procurement, Senior Procurement Manager
SALARY: Competitive + Benefits
LOCATION: Plymouth, Devon, South West England
JOB TYPE: Full-Time, Permanent
JOB OVERVIEW
We have a fantastic new job opportunity for a Head of Category to lead direct procurement spend, category strategy and supplier performance across a complex manufacturing or engineering environment.
As the Head of Category, you will lead a Direct Category Management Team, ensuring category strategies are created, executed and delivered in line with business priorities. The role will focus on delivering sustainable value, reducing supply chain risk, increasing contracted spend and supporting high-quality supplier relationships.
The Head of Category will work closely with stakeholders across commercial, design, development, engineering, planning, logistics, production, finance, legal and supplier networks. You will use data, analytics, commercial insight and continuous improvement methods to support effective decision-making and long-term procurement performance.
APPLY TODAY
Ready to make your next career move? Apply Now for our Recruitment Team to review.
DUTIES
Your duties as the Head of Category include:
Category Strategy: Lead the creation and delivery of category strategies for direct spend, ensuring the team acts as subject matter experts across their areas of responsibility
Savings and Value Delivery: Identify, plan, deliver, track and report savings, hard and soft benefits, contracted spend improvements and risk reduction activity
Sourcing and RFx Activity: Ensure RFx activity is delivered in line with agreed category strategies and value plans, supporting effective supplier selection and negotiation
Contract Management: Increase contracted spend, manage contract lifecycle activity and support the resolution of contractual deliverables and disputes
Supplier Management: Build strong supplier relationships through supplier segmentation, performance monitoring and proactive supply chain risk management
Business Continuity: Identify and mitigate supplier and supply chain risks to protect operational continuity and support business performance
Planning and Demand Review: Work with development, planning and purchasing teams to review demand and supply requirements and take action to maintain supply and deliver benefit
Transactional Improvement: Ensure effective transactional solutions required by purchasing are built into category strategies and contract arrangements
Order Book and Data Escalations: Own and resolve escalations relating to order book management and master data management
Stakeholder Engagement: Work collaboratively with internal departments, external bodies and suppliers to ensure procurement activity supports business objectives
Team Leadership: Develop people, processes and systems capability to support a high-performing direct category management function
Performance Management: Monitor performance against category targets, including year-on-year savings, working capital optimisation, warranty reduction and supplier performance across safety, quality, cost, delivery and environment
CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS
Significant category management leadership experience, with proven performance delivery across the Source to Contract model in manufacturing or engineering services
Experience within manufacturing or engineering services
Business or engineering-based qualification
CIPS qualification
Experience applying continuous improvement methodologies
Advanced commercial and contract acumen
Strong understanding of budgets and finance within a manufacturing environment
Able to use data, analytics and insight to support performance-driven decision-making
Experience using and supporting the deployment of ERP and S2P solutions
Computer literate with Microsoft applications, including Excel and Word
Able to lead, coach, collaborate and communicate effectively at all levels
Strong stakeholder management and change management capability
Outcome-focused, commercially minded and confident using data to support decisions
HOW TO APPLY
To be considered for this job vacancy, please submit your CV to our Recruitment Team who will review your details. CVs of Job Applicants meeting this requirement will be submitted to our Client for consideration. By submitting your job application to us you are hereby giving us your express consent to submit your details to our Client for this purpose.
JOB REF: AWDO-P14900
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